Control system



Jan. 12 1926. 1,559,373

H. D. JAMES CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 20, 1920 I t IATrbREY Patented J an. 12, 1926.

UNITED sT- seer AVAiLABLE com PATENT; OFFICE.

HENRY 1). JAMES. 0F nnenwoon 'PAnK'. PENNSYLVANILQASSIGNOR TO wns'rmca HOUSE ELECTRIC a; MANUFACTURE-Is 0011mm, 'A CORPORATION or PENNSYL- vAnLA.

- eon anon SYSITEMJ-P;

a licant an master 2o, '192d.j;sea1, 423,437.

T 0 all whom hoiiccrh Be. it-known that I, I'IENRY. D. JAnms,, -a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofyEdgewood Park. in the county of Alle-v gheny and State of Pennsylvanimhave invented a new. and usefulImprovement in Control Systems ofwhich the following is a specification. I t

My invention relates to systems of control and it has particular relation to hoist-control systems...

The object of my invention 4 is. to, proridc a novel and advantageous system-of control for the dynamic braking ofan alternatingcnirent motor that is used in connection with hoist installations.

The present practice in hoistcontrol teins, when starting to lower a load, isto actuate the controller to a so-called .f kick oft or. power' notch. This power notch-7 connects-the motorto a source-of tla'nergy in a direction tending .to lower; the

oad.

If the load is sufficient to drive the motor as a generator, the speed may be controlled by reversing the electrical connections to the motor. This is accomplished in my invention by actuating thecontroller from the so called power notch to one of several oper ative positions in which the motor is connected for operation 111 a. hoisting direction.

The difii'c'ulty of the present systems lies in the reverse connections to the motor; that is, the motor connections betweenthe so-' called power notch and the inoperative position of the controller. The motor conncctions are such that the motor is connected for operation in a hoisting direction. With the controller in one of the ahove-n'ientioned opcralirc positions, if it is not quickly brought to the of? position when the motor approaches zero speed. there is danger of the motor passing through zero speed and starting up in the hoisting direction.

According to my invention. I cli'ect the disconnection of the motor, prior to passing through zero speed. by means of a difi' crential-geaz' device such as that disclosed by A. Staege in his patent application Serial No. 297.297 filed May 15, 1919 and assigned to the \Vestinghouse Electric & h'lanufacturing Company.

Myinvention maybest be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I 1 hfigin'e' l is a diagrammatic siew of circuits and apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is-a side elevational view of a differential-reduction-gear mechanism that is employed in my invention; i

Fig. 3 is. a,,front; elevational view of the arrangement'sliown in Fig; 2;"and

Fig. 4 isj a-se'qnence chart, of well-known fornnfor indicating theoperation of the system illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figure 1. the system shown comprises a source of polyphase ener y l, 2 and 3, an induction motor 4, a plurahtyof, resistor groups 5, 6 and 7 thatare connected to the rotorcircuit of motor 4:. controller 8 effects the operation of reversing conjtactors 9 and 10 and accelerating contactors; 11, 12 and 13. The system comprises. also, a'difl'erential-reduction-gear mechanism 14. I

The contactors 9 and 10 connect. the motor for operation in'the forward and the reverse direction, respectively. Contactors 11 12 and 13 successively shunt resistor groups 5, 6 and -7. The accelerating relays 15, 16, 17 and 18,,Which are otthe series lock-out type, are operatively connected to their respective contactors by any means well known in the art.

The controller development shown may be that of a controller of either the drum or the cam type, preferably the latter. The lines designated by the letters represent successive operative positions of the controller. The lengths of the movable contact segments, for example. 19 and 21, indicate the operative positions in which the corresponding contactors are closed. The spaces-between the pairs of contact segments indicate the atively connected to the driviiig nibtor ''in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a shaft 31, a belt 3 2,a pulleywheel3 and a portion 34 of the gear member 22.

The gear member 23 is provided jvvli th bevel-sear eeth n a n bev fn oh 28 and 29 and spur-gear teethfor engaging gear-wheel 26.

The central 111en1ber 2 4 comprises a 'por-j tron 35 WlllCll 1s rotatablymounted on. 'the pinions ZS -and 29. 'A frictional band memthat sadi s ablyme nte 1 6 central member 24, act'iiates a movable con tact member 37 of the switch 27 into engagement with a'stationary contact member 38 to control the operationof the motor 4. The mode of operation is as follows; os ion f he r l r ev lopmen corresponds to an inoperative position of the moon T when s' ote a: hois in he n iolle' um. is, actuated s s ve y t musl pes e a, d an a. 9 nect the motor for lowering, the centroller drum is actuated from position a to' position which corresponds to the sofealled lgiek off or power, notchf? I During the movement of the controller drum from position ate" position. A, the oper ation of switch 10 is prevented by any electrical or mechanical means, well-'known'to the art 1 for example, by the-type of control ler illustrated. With the actuation of the controller from position A; to, position a, a braking tone is exerted by the motor 4, the braking action being proportional to, the resistance in the rotor circuit of motor. 4,

The sequence of operations, for the hoist-. ing: portion of the cycle, is, as tollou sz With a movement of the controller drum from position a to position: b, a circuit is established which extends from conductor L through the actuating coil of conta-ctor 9, stationary contact member 39, movable contact member t1, conductor 42, movable con.- tact member 43 and stationary contact member 44 to conductor 2. contactor 9 is thenclosed to connect the motor t directly to the source of energy 1, 2: and 3.

When contactor 9. closes. a force isv exerted by the contactor on the accelerating relay 15 which tends to close the relay. During the first surge of current through the motor 4, this force is resisted; by the magnetic force of the actuating coil of the relay 15. ith a movement of the controller drum from fall of the current through the motor to a predetermined value, the magnetic force decreases to such an extent that the relay 15 clpse'sl The the operation of cbntactor llf upon'ai further position bito positionc i The circuits describeiin connection with the drum position I) remain uninterrupted Hh'ring't'he successive movements of the confallen to a predetermined value',theaccelei-- ating relay 17 closes to permit the operation of contactor 12, upon the operation'of the controllerdrum to posit-ionfd, 'Thefelfect of shunting the resistor group 5"i's to accelerate the motor to a certain degree. This circuit remains uninterrupted during the successive movements of the'controll'er through posi- U' 611 "suehj movementbf' the controller drum' to position (1, 'a cir'c'uit 'is completed which'extends' fromconductor'1-through the accelerating relay 17, theactuating coil of contactor 12, stationary contact memberffi, moyable cont-act member 19, conductor 42, movable contact member {i3 and stationary contact" member to' 'conductor'2; Conmeter-'12 then closes to shunt'the' acceleratin'g resistor group 6, at the same time, causingthe'acceleratmg relay 18 to'become effective-upon thecurrent-through its actualing Winding 'falling to apredetermined value. The effect of shunting the resistor group 6 is'to further accelerate the motor 4. This circuit remains uninterrupted with a movement of the controller to position 0.

Upon further movement of the controller drum, to position a, a circuit is completed, upon the operation of relay 18, which extends from conductor 1 through relay 18, actuating winding of contactor 13, stationary .contact member 48,vn1o"able contact member 21, conductor 42, movable contact member 43 and stationar contact member 44. to conductor 2. Contactor 13 then closes to shunt the accelerating resistor group 7. lVith the shunting of the resist-or group 7, a further acceleration of the motor 1 is effected. Position 6 corresponds to the final hoisting position of the controller for the controller development shown, I

To effect the lowering of the hoist, the controller drum is first moved thfroughthe- -mecha r'iical' "or' eletricalameans well known as the-s BEST AvAltABLE COPi tion of the 'switch'2 1 This switch is so-.arranged thatwhen the-speed ofthe motor 4;

i As hereinbefore stated; during the -'1I 1OV- f* fal'is'fbelow a predetermined value, the dit mentor the'jcfl "ntroller drum elf-rom pos'ition frentiat-reiiubtiomgeat mechanism efiee'ts ato' position k, the-inoperative condition the opening of the switch. This action-inl of switch 1O 1nay {be mai;ntained by anyfi detail may'described as follows: As long r Y I d o'f-{the main' l'notoi' -t exceeds to thejarti 'lvith tlie'=coiit}roller posiltiqn the preselected speed ot the auxiliary iiiotor 62 circuitismoinplted fivhi'clrxte'nds from *,{tl1'e cent'fal inenib'er 24, byyirtue0tthe conductors then lr the 'afct hatingWvindirfg intermeshi'ng ot =the' pinionsr28 andf29"with 75 of-"cont'act'o'r 10, stationary eefitaet zaemter the gear members QQUMIQIQB, rotates' imam-- l9, nitfifablWcontactf meitibhi" '51; conductor retion corresponding 1 to' the closure of 'lthe -era'tion"of"tlie' motbr in the hireetion wppe low that of the a'itxiliary motorpthe rotative sit' -tb"tliaflof iioistin I widena) siremovement 'of th'e centnaliiiemberifl iii. the

plifyi'lnydra wihgg I liave sh'own-only-bnef reversed direction causis th=friction bahd-v position-7e in'jwh'ih themotor is ecnneeted 36 to move clockwise, as viewed in }Fig.". 2,!-

for 're'v'e'rsei operatiori o'r lo\ i-"eifingi' ;?i efiect the ppeningiof-the switch:27.'wlliel= -Upen amevirene-er theeohtqrolleri driith; speedtowhich tlielmoton fall beforev to position j, the rifiVtrblQcdfltttf iittfiber thc' operation 'df fthe switch 27- i's controlledis' f'actnate'd-{out of eiigaeinentwith sttti'oii'arycontacfi member 4am open the deni ating circuit of the contactor 10. Witfi the eontrollerin thisposition, a circuit is completed which iextehds" from conductor 1 through the actuating winding of contactor 9, switch 27 of the diiierential-reductiongear mechanism 14:, stationary contact member 56, movable contact member 53, conductor 54, movable contact member 55 and stationary contact member 44 to conductor 2.

Contaetor 9 then closes to connect the motor for operation in the hoisting direction. It the sum of the opposing torques exerted by the motor and the usual counterweight is less than that exerted by the hoist, the hoist continues to fall and the motor is operated in a direction opposite to that corresponding to the connections. The torque exerted by the motor is successively reduced through the remaining operative positions 1. and f by shunting the accelerating resistor groups 5, 6 and 7.

The cycle of operations for the remaining drmn positions h, g and f is similar to that described for the hoisting positions a, d and c.

For a further movement of the controller drum from position fto position a, the circuit ot' the actuating winding of contactor S) is interrupted to cite-ct the disconnection of motor -l.

Dining the movement. of the controller through the drum positions, j, b, g and f, the load on the motor may vary to such an extent that the motor will pass through zero speed and start up in the hoisting dircction.

This ditliculty is removed in my invention by the introduction of a differential-reduction-gear mechanism for effecting the disconnect-ion of the motor through the operaing my invention, it is apparent that various other forms having the same operating characteristics may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire therefore, that only such limitationsshall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a motor-control system, the combination with a motor, a load and a controller, of means comprising a differential gear mechanism responsive to said load for insuring said motor against operation in the reverse direction when said controller o'ecupies a position corresponding to reversed motor operation.

2. In a motor-control system, the combination with a motor, a load at times adapted to be driven thereby and a controller for reversing the direction of current supplied to said motor, of differentially operable means for insuring against operation of said motor in the direction corresponding to that of the current, after overhauling said load.

3. In a motor-control system, the combination with a motor, a load at. times adapted to be driven thereby and a controller having a plurality of operative positions to control the direction of said motor, of differential gear means operable, when the motor rotates in one direction driven by said load to prevent the operation o-f said motor in the re- BE$T AVAiLABLE COP:-

tion in which said motor is connected for rotation in the correspondingdirection to be driven by said load, and means comprising a differential-reductioirgear mechanism forinsuring against operation of the motor in the hoisting direction when the controller is in one of said hoisting positions and the motor is connected for hoisting.

5. In a system of control, the combination with a motor, of braking means comprising a load for said motor, means comprising a difi'erential gear mechanism whereby said motor when driven by said load is connected for foperation in a direction tending to reverse'it, and means :responsiveto the speed of said motor for preventing the operation of said motor in the reverse direction.

6. In a system of control, the combination with a motor and a controller, of a system of braki-ngin which said motor is connected to a Source of energy tending to rotate said motor in a direction opposite to the actual direction f-rotation. of the motor, and means responsive to the speed of said motor for preventing the operation of said motor in the reversedirection, said means comprising a difierential-reduction-gear mechanism.

7. The combination with a motor and controlling'means therefor, of speed-responsive means for. actuating the. motor-controlling means tostop said motor, and electroresponsivemeans for co-operating with said speed responsive means ,for rendering said controllingmeans ineffective after stopping.

8. The combination with a motor and controlling means there-for, of speed-responsive means for actuating the motor-controlling means to stop, said motor, and electroresponsive means comprising a second motor for co-operating with said speed responsive means for -rendering said controlling means ineffective after stoppin In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of November 1920.

HENRY D. JAMES. 

